Wall gun
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
1630-60 (made)
lock dated 1680 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
Wornell, Thomas (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
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This unusual gun was probably part of the armoury at Dunster castle, Somerset, where it was reputedly used in the British Civil Wars of the 1640s. The stock and lock however were made too late for this and date from 1660-80. The earlier barrel has been converted from a matchlock and may well have survived the wars when Dunster Castle was attacked on 4 occasions.
Wall guns are rare from the 17th century. Long muskets were common around the time of the Civil Wars in the 1640s and were balanced on rests which were spiked into the ground. This wall gun is less mobile and was designed to fire from a fixed position either for self defence or for target shooting. Much of the armoury at Dunster Castle was put together by Francis Luttrell in the 1670s and he may have commissioned the alteration of the gun.
Physical description
Long, heavy-barrelled wall gun, the mounts and barrel of steel, the stock of carved wood. The barrel is of octagonal section at the breech and has cast and incised ornament. It was originally fitted with a matchlock but was converted to a dog lock which was engraved with strawberry leaves and signed 'Thomas Wornell 80' (presumably 1680). The barrel has an incised signature 'IOS WHETHAM' in eighteenth century hand, possibly that of a former owner. The stock, which has many bore holes from an attack of woodworm, is decorated with acanthus leaves and stylised tulips resembling contemporary English carved furniture. Under the barrel at the balancing point is a carved mask topped by a buffer to position the gun on a wall or butt.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1630-60 (made)
lock dated 1680 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Wornell, Thomas (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Steel and carved wood
Marks and inscriptions
'IOS WHETHAM'
'Thomas Wornell 80'
Dimensions
Length: 171.5 cm whole, Length: 139.0 cm barrel, Depth: 5.8 cm breech, Diameter: 2.8 cm muzzle (8 bore)
Object history note
This unusual gun was probably part of the armoury at Dunster castle, Somerset, where it was reputedly used in the English Civil War. The stock and lock however were made too late for this and date from 1660-80. The barrel has been converted from a matchlock and may well have survived the civil wars when Dunster Castle was attacked on four occasions. Much of the armoury at Dunster was put together by Francis Luttrell in the 1670s and he may have commissioned the alteration of the gun.
Historical context note
Wall guns are rare from the 17th century. Long muskets were common around the time of the Civil Wars in the 1640s and were balanced on rests which were spiked into the ground. This wall gun is less mobile and was designed to fire from a fixed position either for self defence or for target shooting.
Descriptive line
Wall gun, steel mounts and barrel, the carved wood stock, originally fitted with a matchlock, but converted to an English dog lock, signed by Thomas Wornall, dated 1680
Production Note
Barrel dates from 1630-1660 and was then modified and fitted to a new stock around 1660-80. The later lock is signed 'Thomas Wornell 80'.
Materials
Wood; Steel
Techniques
Carving; Casting; Forging
Subjects depicted
Mask; Tulip
Categories
Metalwork; Tools & Equipment; Arms & Armour; Accessories
Collection code
MET
